Invalid&#39;s bed.



V. H. BYRD.

INVALID'S BED.

APPLICATION men NOV. 24. I911.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

. 3 SHEETS-SHEET l- J attouwq S,

V. H. BYRD.

INVALID'S BED.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 24. 1911. I 1,274,851 Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

V. H. BYRD.

INVALID'S BED.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24. 1911.

Patented Aug. 6, 191a. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VEROL H. BYRD, 0F WARRIOR, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO SOL BYRD, OF

HICKORY, KENTUCKY.

INVALIDS BED.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VnnoL H. BYRD, a citizen of the United States, residing at 'Warrior, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Invalids Beds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bedsteads employed in hospitals and similar institutions, and has for one of its objects to provide a device of this character whereby soiled bedding may be removed and clean bedding substituted therefor without disturbing the patient. a 7

Another object of theinvention is to provide a device which may be attached without material structural change to bedstead frames of various forms and construction.

When treating patients either in hospitals or like institutions or in the home, it is necessary to change the bedding at intervals, and this generally requires thatthe-patient either be removed from the bed or otherwise disturbed or subjected'to great inconvenience, frequently endangering the lives or retarding the recovery in critical cases.

The present invention comprises anattachment to bedsteads consisting of a plurality of sections arranged side by side, preferably transversely of the bedstead, and independently movable or depressible, whereby the portion of the mattress above the depressed section will be depressed 'to permit the removal of the bedding and replacing it with clean bedding and without disturbing the patient.

Any required number of the movable sections may be employed and supported in any suitable manner, and it is not desired- For the to limit the device in this respect. purpose of illustration five of the movable sections are shown, four'mounted to swing laterally and one at the head end of the bedstead arranged to swing at the outer edge only. 1 1 In the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 24,1917. Serial No. 203,796.

Fig. 2 is a plan view partly in section. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

fFig. iis a detail View, illustrating the manner of supporting the foot member of the device. 1 1 v The preferred embodiment of the improved device includes an oblong supporting frame including side portions 10-11 of any suitable material.

' For the purpose of illustration these side members are shown formed of L-bars and rectangular inoutline, The head portion of the bedstead includes vertical tubular members 12 having dove-tailed sockets to receive tapered tongues 13, the latter rigidly coupled to the side frames 1011 by brack ets 15. The foot member of the bedstead includes vertical tubular members 16 and dove-tailed sockets 17,-while the side members10-11 are provided respectively with dove-tailed studs 18 J rigidly coupled to bracket devices 19. By this means the side members 10-11 are detachably coupled to the head and foot members, and coact therewith to form the bedstead. r

'The side frames '1O 11 are coupled at spaced intervals by transverse members 20 rigidly coupled to the side members by riv-' ets or other suitable fastening devices. Mounted to swing at '21 between the *vertical portions 12 of the-headofthe bedstead is a supporting section 22. The'member 22 may be disposed in longitudinal alinement with the frame members 10when in one position as shown in full-lines in Figs. 1 and 2 or turned down at an angle between the members12 as shown by dotted lines in Fig.

1, the object to be hereafter explained.

Disposed between the members 1011 and also between the member 22 and the foot portion of the bedstead, area plurality of supporting sections 23, the latter arranged side by side with their side edges'spaced at slight distances, and are independently upper faces. spaced a' considerable distance below the upper lines of the members 1O1-'1,

the object to be hereafter explained.

Attached to certain of the members 20'are resilient holding devices coacting with the members 24 to support the latter and maintain the sections 23in their upper position against the ordinary pressure which may be applied thereto, but which will yield when abnormal pressure is applied to the sections 23 to permit the latter to be moved into their lower positions. hen the sections 23 are moved into their upper positionsthe holding devices will automatically engage the members 24 and hold the sections 23 yieldably in their. upper position. Each of theholding devices is formed of a single section of wire bent substantially into U-shape whereby side portions 27 will be formed, and secured by staples or other fastening. devices'28 tothe members 20. Each of the sides 27 of the holding device is formed with an inwardly directed stop or shoulder 29'toengage the vertically directed portions of the members 24. The shoulders 29 extend in angular direction relative to the engaged portion of the members 2& so'that the members 27 will yield when abnormal pressure isapplied to move the sections 23 into their downward position. The members-27 will be sufficiently rigidto prevent the downward Y movement ofthe sections 23 under the strains to which they will be subjected when in use, but which will yield when lateral strain is applied, as will be obvious.

A suitable holding device is also applied to the head portion of the bedstead to hold the member 22 yieldably in its horizontalposition, as-shown in full lines in Fig. 1. The holding device of the member 22 comprises a rod30 of resilient material rigidly secured at 31 to one of thestandards 12 and. provided with an intermediate offset 32 which engages above the shorter end of the member 22 adjacent to one of the pivots 21, and thus holds the member 22yieldably in horizontal position, the catch member 30.31 being of suflicient strength to hold the member 22 in horizontal position against ordinary strains, butwhich will yield when abnormal strains are applied to move the member 22 into the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Sections of springs, indicated at 3%, will be located upon each of the supports 23 and 22, and a section of a mattress indicated at 33 disposed upon each spring section. The mattress sections are united by straps 35 to prevent them from displacement when the supports 22 and 23 and the springs thereon are lowered.

Then soiled bedding is to be removed the section 23 at the foot of the bed is depressed, or caused to swing into its lower position. This movement will release the portion of the mattress and spring above the depressed section; Thisalso'relea'ses aportion of the bedding which is folded into a: fiat roll beneath the feet of the patient,- the next section 23 and the spring and mattress supported thereby is then depressed and the bedding further rolled over this latter section and the previously lowered section 23 returned to its'upper positioinand the third section 23 is then depressed and the released bedding further rolled beneatlr the'patient and above the third section-23 and thesec- 0nd section 23 returnedto its upper position, and so on until the soiled bedding has been rolled upon the section of the mattress above the section 23 -nearest the head.

The head section 22 and'its spring and mattress sections are then depressed: andthe bedding finally rolled into the depression formed thereby and removed by withdrawing it laterally. The various steps of the operation can be performed without disturbing the patient. The-clean bedding is then folded into a fiat roll'and disposed be neath the patient in the reverse order.

By thismeans the soiled beddingmay be expeditiously removed from beneath the patient and replacedby fresh or clean beddingwithout seriously disturbing or inconveniencmg the patient.

The improved device'will also be found very convenient for enabling wounds in various portions of the body to be dressed without disturbing. the patient by simply depressing the member 23 which for the time being is located beneath the portiorr of the patient whichis tobe treated; Thus the portion of the mattressimmedia tely beneath the affected part of the patient'is depressed leavingthe body free for theoperation of the surgeon or nurse.

Having thusdescribed the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. The comb natlon with a support of a plurallty of beddmg carrying member's,

means for coupling'one of the-terminal bedding carrying members at its outerend 'to swing downwardly at its inner end, and

means for supporting the remaining bedterminal bedding supporting members at its ding carrying members for vertical moveouter end to swing downwardly at its inner ment. end, and means for supporting the remain-1M 2. The combination with a bedstead, of a ing bedding supporting members for verti- 5 plurality of bedding supporting members cal and lateral movement.

arranged side by side transversely of the In testimony whereof I affix my signature. bedstead, means for coupling one of the VEROL H. BYRD. [L.s.]

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington. D. O." 

